Divide the class into nine groups. Give each group one document to analyze
and the appropriate document analysis worksheet.

Allow student groups 15-20 minutes to read and analyze their documents.
Ask them to complete the document analysis worksheet and then identify the events
and issues of the civil rights movement referred to in their documents. Explain
that an event could be a meeting, the passage of a bill, an election, or a sit-in
demonstration and that issues might include "equality," "race
relations," "political strategy," and "violence."

Distribute one copy of the student worksheet to each student.

Ask a volunteer from each group to describe the content of the group's document
for the class and identify the events and issues mentioned or implied within.

Instruct students to complete their worksheets based on the information
presented by their classmates.

Lead a discussion using the following questions as a guide:

What are the similarities and differences between the events and issues identified
in documents 1-4 and documents 5-9? According to Jackie Robinson, were things
improving?

Do you think the events caused or resulted from the issues that concerned
Robinson?

Five hundred years from now, if these nine documents were the only surviving
pieces of evidence describing the civil rights struggle in the United States
in the 20th century, what information about that struggle would survive? How
accurate would that information be?

Follow Up

Encourage students to create a time line covering the years 1957-72 that
identifies the events mentioned in the documents and other equally significant
events.